Gent taking the chair at Glaxo

DRUGS giant GlaxoSmithKline confirmed today that Sir Christopher Gent has been appointed as non-executive chairman. Gent, who was also being considered as a replacement for former Marks & Spencer boss Luc Vandevelde, will join the Glaxo board as deputy chairman on 1 June, prior to the retirement of outgoing chairman Sir Christopher Hogg on December 31. He will take over as chairman on 1 January, 2005.

Gent, 56, has long been touted as a potential successor to Hogg, who is also stepping down as chairman of global news and information provider Reuters Group later this year.

Gent is the former boss of mobile phones giant Vodafone, whose customer base he built up from 4m to 93m in four years and which he led through a record e180bn (£127bn) hostile bid for German rival Mannesmann.

'Sir Christopher (Gent) brings with him many years of experience and a track record of delivering outstanding performance in a highly competitive global industry which will be invaluable to GSK,' Hogg said in a statement.

He will act as a counterweight to the drugs company's chief executive Jean-Pierre Garnier who views himself as an American-style boss and wants a pay packet to match. Gent critcised Garnier‘s pay, but defended own, rewards, saying snipers were motivated by 'envy, not aspiration'.

As deputy chairman he will be paid £300,000 a year.

As chairman, his salary will rise to £500,000 a year, including £400,000 in cash and £100,000 in stock.